Childhood During A Siege
by Jet556
Summary: Siege can be a strange time to grow up. A siege of ten years can mean not seeing the outside world until the siege is over. A siege of one month for one who is used to going into the outside world quite often can been hard. Being a child during a siege can be frightening. It is as hard to be a child during a siege as it is an adult.
1. Balor

**Welcome everyone. This story will lead into the next one while expanding the setting that is Wilusa. Enjoy and review.**

 **Balor**

A brief lifetime in contrast to a vast lifetime can lead to different views. For Balor, the Siege of Wilusa was a somewhat exciting thing that had quickly turned boring that could quickly turn exciting again. For Gard, it was just a siege. It was just another thing to cause him to be alert.

"What is this mission my grandfather is sending you on?" asked Balor.

"To get a ring to throw into the spoil-wanting hordes." Replied Gard.

"Where to?" asked Balor.

"To the top of the highest mountain of the wilderness." Replied Gard.

"Can I come?"

"No."

"Bur I've been stuck in here for a month!" whined Balor.

"You are usually unusually quite mature for eight years old, Balor." Commented Gard. "Your occasional slips into childishness can prove amusing."

"What slips into childishness?" asked Balor.

"Well for a recent example your whining about being stuck in Wilusa for a month." Stated Gard. "Can you get me axe?"

Balor sighed and stood up. He walked over to the corner of the hall that Gard's axe was in while Gard sat at a table looking at a map of Wilusa. A passage that went from the garden where the Setanta tree stood to the deepest and oldest Wilusa was something that caused Gard to wonder. What was it there for? Did it lead anywhere specific?

Gard turned his head to look over at Balor. He was holding the axe and attempting to swing it around… He was having a poor time doing it… In fact he had gotten the blade stuck in the floor.

Smiling and laughing silently, Gard watched as Balor struggled to pull the axe out. It was almost like he had gotten it embedded into the floor.


	2. Brigid

**Welcome back everyone. Balor's pet tolac Andvari makes a return in this chapter. Enjoy and review.**

 **Brigid**

Do chores, get this, get that help with this help with that, this was how things were for Brigid. She had hoped that with this siege going on she'd be exempt from chores but there was little chance of that. It seemed as if everything all she had were chores now.

"Let her enjoy her childhood." Said Henti, Brigid's elder cousin to some others in protest about how many chores she was getting these days.

"We need every helping hand we can and with you being the way you are, you can't really help." Was Zuvowang's response. "Brigid shall stay out of the kitchen lets Eukratez fall on her or his singing cause he to go deaf and she shall stay with the arrow makers. Still I must ensure she is safe, thus she is to stay in the hall of our family after sunset."

Thus Brigid now found herself in the hall. She heard Eukratez singing from the kitchen. She had removed her veil and her skirt and was now holding one clumped together against one ear and the other, clumped together as well, against another ear. Eukratez's singing was only appealing to the deaf! Why did he continue to do so?

"Please stop singing, please stop singing, please stop singing…" Brigid just kept repeating that as she walked from one part of the hall to the next but ever avoiding the kitchen where that bloated singing Cook Eukratez was. She was so focused on her wandering and quietly begging for Eukratez to stop singing that she didn't even notice Balor's tolac pup Andvari walking down the stairs with her doll Epona in its mouth. She did eventually notice however, by the time the pup had exited the hall. The moment she had realized what had happened, Brigid turned and face the hall's entrance with wide eyes. "Andvari!" Removing her clumped together veil and skirt from her ears, Brigid paused for a bit when she realized Eukratez had stopped singing. "Hello, he's gone quiet." She muttered as she placed her veil on a table and put her skirt back on. "How long has this been going on for?" The moment she finished putting her skirt back on Eukratez started singing again! "Why does he never lose his voice?" she groaned as she ran out of the Hall of the Zuvowangidae and straight to the Hall of the Gardites. Finding Balor lying on a table looking at the painted ceiling, Brigid immediately walked over to him. "Where is Andvari?"

"How should I know?" asked Balor. "If he wants to go wandering then let him. Why are you looking for him?"

"He has taken Epona!"

"Who?"

"The doll Kit gave me!" exclaimed Brigid.

"Oh… You mean that thing of clay?" asked Balor. "I didn't realize you still had it."

"HER!" shouted Brigid angrily. "EPONA IS A HER NOT AN IT!"

"Okay, okay, I didn't realize you still had her. What do you want me to do?"

"Epona is my doll and Andvari is your tolac so you are going to help me look for him so I can get her back!" explained Brigid.

"But I just realized the painting in the ceiling is Gard at the Attack of Hatglebe Chase!" He pointed at once spot of the ceiling. "See! There is Gard killing the Labinnac Aeduynuz!"

"Balor, it is right there in the middle of the ceiling. Andvari could be anywhere in Wilusa, lets go!"

Balor jumped off the table and looked up at the ceiling. That really was in the middle of the ceiling. He then looked to Brigid. "Alright, lets go!"


	3. Ekoto

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Ekoto**

Fathers and sons can spend much time together. For Ekoto, however, whose father was the Chieftain of Evabon Piyamaradu, he was finding less quality with his father due to the siege. It seemed all the time that Piyamaradu was discussing Wilusa's defenses and so Ekoto had grown atrabilious.

Sitting by himself, Ekoto thought of the ThunderCats and their high adventures. Where were they now? Were they fighting that demon?

The sound of little footsteps them came to Ekoto's ears. Running footsteps.

Then did Ekoto see the runner! It was Andvari, Balor's tolac, with Brigid's clay doll in his mouth.

Confused, the ten year-old-boy raised an eyebrow. The doll was made of clay not bone. For what possible reason could the tolac pup want it? Did Balor, he whom Ekoto now viewed as a little brother and was ashamed to have once bullied, know what Andvari was up to? Did Brigid, she whom Ekoto had a once had a crush on know that her doll had been stolen by Andvari?

Standing up, immediately did Ekoto seek out Balor and Brigid! If he could not find one then perhaps he could find the other. Fortunately, he found them by the market looking for Andvari.

The market had seen no business since the siege had begun. It was an empty place that had once been so full of life. Growers of fruit and vegetables, hunters, potters, blacksmiths and the like had all come here to sell their merchandise. It broke Ekoto's heart to see this place so lacking in the laughter and discussions.

"And the reason you are looking for him here is?" asked Ekoto upon all three having been brought up to speed, Ekoto by Balor and Brigid and vice versa.

"He'd be hiding under the…" Balor pointed at one of the empty stalls. "Whoever's stall that was."

Ekoto turned to look at the stall. He had no idea whose stall that had been. He then turned to look at Balor again. "I saw Andvari in the Hall of Champions Past."

"Why would he be in there?" asked Brigid.

"Why does the wind blow in a certain direction one moment and a different the next?" asked Ekoto. "He is just there."


	4. Borte

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Borte**

Borte was one of Brigid's friends. With skin green as the grass, greener depending on how the grass was, she was about nine years old and had her hair braided. Her eyes were gold in color, her hair black. Her attire was not much different from Brigid's save for being pink in color, having poofy sleeves and lacking a skirt while Brigid's was green, had no sleeves and had a skirt. She was the daughter of an armor-maker and a clothes-maker, the perfect combination. Her mother had made her clothes with her father having converted a dagger into a bracelet for her.

The bracelet had ended up on the spear of a statue above her in the Hall of the Champions. How? Andvari had tripped her while she was cleaning the bracelet while she walked through the Hall of the Champions causing her to accidentally toss it onto the spear.

Thus did Balor, Brigid and Ekoto find her trying to climb the statue to get the bracelet.

"Lose something?" asked Balor.

"My bracelet!" exclaimed Borte. "The one my papa gave me!"

"Where is it?" asked Balor. Brigid then pointed at the bracelet on the spear. "Oh… I could jump that high."

"I've seen you jump, little brother." Commented Ekoto. "You won't be able to make it."

'Can to! I'll show you!" Balor jumped to reach the spear but he did not reach it. Being an Evabon he could jump higher than those of other races but being a child he still couldn't jump thirty feet. "I'll show you!" Again Balor jumped and again he did not reach it. "I'll… give up!"

Ekoto rolled his eyes. "Should have listened." He jumped up and reached the spear. "Okay, now to get this bracelet." Ekoto grabbed the bracelet and then looked down.

"Be careful on the way down, Ekoto!" cried Borte.

"Will do!" Ekoto climbed down the statue and returned Borte her bracelet.

"Thank you." Borte took it and put it back on her left wrist.

"Have you seen Andvari?" asked Balor.

"Yes, I'll show you which way he went."


	5. Digging

**Welcome back everyone. This isn't a pointless chapter, I promise. Enjoy and review.**

 **Digging**

Digging was not something a Labinnac liked. For all of their literal thirst for blood and craving for the flesh of their enemies, they had a dislike for getting literal dirt on their hands.

"'I am the High Warlord! A god on Third Earth!'" said one, quoting Melyk's messenger who in turn had been directly quoting Melyk. "'I will not be denied!'" The rest of the group burst into laughter as they dug into the earliest Wilusa. "Melyk High Warlord… I never would have thought it."

"He always was a bit on the pathetic side, White-Eyes." said another named Broken-Nose. "

"If he were to give me a proper name, I would take it." Commented a younger Labinnac by name of Dark-Hairs.

"Say, what are we supposed to do when we dig into the first Wilusa anyway?" asked White Eyes. "This place has been sacked and rebuilt so many times it could take weeks for us to get to the very depths of the first Wilusa!"

"We are to get in there, that was the most of Melyk's instructions." Stated Broken-Nose. "I wish he'd hurry up with the Valley of the Tombs! We need him here to take a city full of the living not some valley of the dead protected by a handful of guards."

"The Valley of the Tombs is a good place." Commented Dark-Hairs. "For an outpost that is and besides we need to avenge our defeat their some four hundred years ago!"

"That's five hundred years, you halfwit!" exclaimed Broken-Nose.

"I am not a halfwit!"

"Yes you are!"

"No I'm not!"

"Silence! Both of you!" exclaimed White-Eyes. "Are you men or children? Continue with the digging or I'll kill you both and find someone else to help me with this!"

Then did White-Eyes pick break open the side of a tunnel that had once been a hallway. Smiling a most sinister smile, the three returned to their encampment to get others.


	6. Wilusa's Tunnels

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Wilusa's Tunnels**

The tunnels of Wilusa were not really tunnels at all but rather the older parts of Wilusa that came to be beneath the earth from the constant rebuilding after many sackings and natural disasters. Still, tunnels ended up being an apt description how due to how old streets and halls ended up becoming tunnels in some sort of way.

This was where Andvari's trail had led Balor, Brigid, Ekoto and Borte. It was…

"Creepy." Commented Brigid. That was a bit on the informal side but perfectly appropriate.

"How far are we down now?" asked Balor, turning to Ekoto.

"The sixth Wilusa I think." Replied Ekoto.

"You think?"

"The architecture of the seventh Wilusa made it hard whether we were going up or down."

Borte rolled her eyes. This was not something she liked to be discussed. Architecture was not something that interested her.

"Andvari is probably lost!" exclaimed Balor. "He once got lost in the weapon cellar!"

"And that means Epona is lost with him!" groaned Brigid.

Ekoto took a breath and pointed in the direction they were going. "Look, the way we are going leads to the old barracks. The old barracks has a hole in the floor that leads to the fifth Wilusa's throne room, which was wrecked in an earthquake. That probably means that Andvari is trapped."

"Terrific." Commented Balor. "Say, Ekoto, how do you know all this?"

"Well, when one is the son of the Chieftain of Evabon one has to learn the history of places like Wilusa."

"You live here." Commented Brigid.

"That would be the other."

"And were born here." Added Borte.

"Hey! Another!" exclaimed Ekoto. "Lets get going before some beast that makes its home down here finds us."


	7. The Labinnac

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **The Labinnac**

Alone anyone could defeat a Labinnac. A child could kill one! When in a large group however they were indeed a danger in their days of terror.

A group of eighteen had returned to the tunnels of Wilusa. They were all northerners, meaning they came from the north of the Labinnac's territory in the Savage Area. They were all particularly savage looking and not in the noble way. These were the kind that would snatch an infant from its cradle and cannibalize it without a second thought. These were the kind who would bash a praying man's brains against the floor without a second thought. These were the kind that would save a woman from being defiled just to kill her without a second thought. These were not the kind of people that one would make a hero out of and while the Labinnac did have some sort of honor code that was entirely different from the Evabon's since it was so loose an honor code any sort of atrocity could be committed and not come into conflict with it. These Labinnac however were the kind who could come into conflict with that honor code. That was the best way to describe them.

"We will kill every one of them." Said one.

"Put their heads on a spike!" said another.

"We won't be able to do that if we don't get up there." Said White-Eyes.

Thus did they move upwards, constantly finding their ways farther up until they getting closer to where Balor, Brigid, Ekoto and Borte were. Thus would the Labinnac not be able to reach the surface. Someone had to see them coming and it would be the children to see them but they would not be the ones to stop them. That would be someone else, someone older, much older.


	8. Andvari Found

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Andvari Found**

Andvari was just where Ekoto had said he'd be. In what was essentially a hole, he ran around barking while Brigid's doll Epona lay on the ground. When the children found him he was on his hind legs with his front legs upon the walls of the hole.

"Andvari!" Balor cried, jumping in after him.

Ekoto brought a hand to his head while groaning. The hole was too deep for Balor to jump out of meaning that Balor had gotten himself stuck in the whole too.

"I'll be right back with rope." Said Ekoto, leaving immediately to get rope for Balor.

Brigid and Borte could only look down at Balor while Balor looked up at them. Balor tapped his fingers on his legs for a few seconds until an idea struck him.

"Brigid! Remove your veil and skirt then tie them together! That will make a rope!"

"Slight problem with that idea." Brigid removed her veil and skirt, tied them together then got on her knees and showed Balor just what the problem was with his idea. It didn't even reach halfway.

"Point taken… Borte could you remove your veil and…" Balor then looked at Borte only to remember she wore neither veil nor skirt. "This is not my day."

"How is Epona?" asked Brigid.

"It… She is fine." Said Balor, upon looking at the clay doll.

"And Andvari?" asked Borte. "How is he?"

"None the worse where for… None the where for worse… None the worse for where!" replied Balor. Andvari was running around, barking for help and Balor could not jump high enough.

"Where do you suppose Kat and Kit are right now?" asked Brigid.

"Somewhere exciting." Replied Balor. "I've been stuck in this city and want out! I want to swim in the rivers again! I want to run across the hills! Climb the trees!"

"We all do, Balor." Commented Borte. "But you must be patient."


	9. Flooding

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Flooding**

When Ekoto returned with the rope and Balor had been retrieved from the pit along with Andvari and Epona it was then that the group of Labinnac had broken into the chamber. Instantly the children ran for help but Zuvowang and Dalv were defending Wilusa even now and many others would not even listen to them on the grounds that they were children probably trying to play a practical joke that was bad taste.

"What are we going to do?" asked Borte. "Wilusa is doomed if we no one believes us."

"I'm not too eager to end up on the Floating Mountain across the Rainbow Bridge this soon." Commented Ekoto.

Balor quickly ran to the Hall of the Gardites. Gard was there cleaning his axe. Running to the father of his family, Balor explained everything.

"Where exactly?" asked Gard.

"I think it is below where that reservoir of rainwater has formed." Replied Balor. "What is the plan exactly?"

"You and your friends are to stay in this hall until I return." Stated Gard. "Go and get then and then wait." And with that Gard departed.

As the Labinnac made their way through the tunnels, a sound came to their ears. They were at first confused and wondered what it possibly could have been but their confusion and wonderment were soon banished by fear.

The "reservoir of rainwater" as Balor had put it had amounted a century's worth of rainwater. The end result was something that had washed the Labinnac down multiple tunnels and finding multiple exits but by the time the water had found an exit the Labinnac had already drowned.

When Gard returned to the Hall of the Gardites, only a little bit wet, he stared at the children with his good eye. At first his good eye was critical but it softened and held out a hand. Balor walked up to Gard and handed him Andvari.

Sitting down on a bench, Gard took a look at the tolac pup. There was no sign of injury. Placing Anvari on the ground, Gard looked at the children once more.

"Are we in trouble?" asked Balor.

"I'll let Piyamaradu decide for Ekoto, Zuvowang decided for Brigid and Borte's parents decide for her." Stated Gard. "As for you…"


	10. Balor's Punishment

**Welcome back everyone. Enjoy and review.**

 **Balor's Punishment**

"Cleaning shields until you return!" exclaimed Zuvowang. "That is a little bit harsh don't you think?"

"Come now, Gard, he's just a child." Commented Dalv.

"It is my decision." Stated Gard as they stood at the gates of Wilusa as the suns set. He would be leaving for his search soon. "I trust him to clean shields more than I do weapons. You're less likely to cut yourself on a shield. We Evabon might have a high tolerance for pain but I still do not want him to hurt himself. What punishment would you two have chosen?"

Zuvowang and Dalv were both silent. They were not sure what they would have chosen.

"Brigid is to be washing the table in our hall for a month." Stated Zuvowang. "I could make sure Balor doesn't shirk on his chores."

"Either of you making sure will be enough." Said Gard, his good eye looking up to the final sun beginning to set. "Of course searching for a ring on a mountain is hardly the type of mission I was hoping for. It is a mission nonetheless."

"Word is coming from the Labinnac territory of a new High Warlord." Dalv opened the gate and looked out the Labinnac camp. They were all huddled around fires. "You know what that means don't you? Some winged monstrosity that looks more like a corpse than normal Labinnac do!"

"Ha!" Zuvowang laughed as he stroked his beard. "Another leader who thinks that if any of his men remain still while he fights then they are all dead men."

"Another leader who believes himself to be the moon, that believes himself to be the world, that believes himself to be a god." Gard laughed. "The spirits are all powerful! A High Warlord is not one of them."

"The High Warlord is considered a lesser god." Corrected Dalv.

"Whatever he is considered he has to face us." Said Gard. The sun had almost set. "I will leave now and return with the ring, something to throw into the spoils hungry horde."

 **The End**


End file.
